You only turn 35 once!

I love planning parties! 

Birthday parties, Christmas parties, my yet-to-be Harvest Party...

Having to attend my own birthday parties make me shudder however, because contrary to popular opinion (Mark's) I practically break out in hives when everyone has to watch me open presents. Give me public speaking any day! 

That being said, I decided this year I would plan Mark's birthday party and not let him do the same old thing that we always do. Don't get me wrong! His normal choice is always fun. We invite his parents, grandparents and sometimes his brother Bill and McMolly, eat a lot of good food and play some hands of pinochle. Nice, relaxing and a safe kind of fun. 

This year I was shooting for memorable, special and a silly kind of fun - my favorite kind!

(I also love spectacular fun, serious fun and sassy fun but that goes without saying).

I decided to let Mark believe that we were doing the same ol' same ol' and on the sly I invited a few of Mark's friends and told them the theme was "35". We all snickered as we planned and plotted knowing that Mark would indeed be surprised...

Mark worked his actual birthday so I planned his party for Saturday from 5-7. We had a going away party to attend at 7 for a co-worker of Mark's so we couldn't get too rowdy in the amount of time we had. Dawn and Harley were the first to arrive and they came in and Dawn said "Yeah! We are right in time for dinner!"

Mark said, "Well you guys are more than welcome to stay." (Remember he's still thinking his parents and grandparents will be there at any minute.)

Then our friends, The Summerfields showed up and he started to look suspiciously at me. I avoided his gaze and made myself scarce as more people started to come in. 

 Hannah and Wade, Brandon and Michelle, Greg and Sarah and Tyler all came in within a few minutes of each other and  asked Mark if they could stay for dinner. 

Mark finally came up to me with a huge smirk on his face and asked "My parents aren't coming over are they?" 

Nope! 

We BBQ'd and visited and I tried to take pictures but (of course!) forgot to turn my flash on, so you will need to pretend you are looking through night vision goggles from the 80's. The pictures all have this eerie, 80's shag-carpet coloring. At least until about halfway through the party when I finally got a clue...

After everyone finished up, I herded them into the family room, plopped Mark on a stool at the front of the room (he loved that, let me tell ya!) and divided the girls up on one side of the room and the boys on the other. 

Notice the grouping. Girls all together, cohesive, ready to work together.

The boys were all spread out with at least a person-sized space in between them. I think if I researched this phenomenon I could make billions by figuring out why men do not like to sit too close to other men. At the same time, I would probably stumble across the answers as to why women go to the bathroom together and then really make the tabloids (the height of success in our culture of course!). 

Here is where I finally figured out that I didn't have my flash on! Just in time for the 

"How Well Do You Know Mark" game!

I had written 35 questions all about Mark that the two teams had to compete to answer. Some were true and false, some multiple choice and some just fill in the blank. 

The girls would get a question and if they answered it right, it went into a pile for them. On questions 21 - 35, if they got it wrong, the boys would have a chance to steal the point. Then the boys would get a question and the same rules applied. After 5 questions or so, I would stop and count up the cards and whichever team had more points at the time, chose 3 gifts for Mark to open. 

Mark got gifts like:

35 bullets

35 bottles of beer

35 whoppers

35 tiny containers of his favorite pasta salad

35 dollars hidden in blown up balloons

35 dollars on a Cabela's gift card

35 screws, 35 nails, 35 clamps, (and a half dozen other building materials)

35 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

You get the idea!

At the end of the game, I counted how many points the girls had and how many points the boys had and (sadly) the boys won. That meant they got to "order" how they wanted their ice cream sundaes and the girls had to make them for them.

The boys thought that was awesome!

The girls whispered to me that I should have rigged it somehow because it wasn't quite as awesome for them!

The party turned out perfect. Lots and lots of laughter, teasing of Mark and enjoying good company. He was surprised and I can guarantee that it was a birthday he won't ever forget. 

So...

Are you ready to play?

Let's see "How Well You Know Mark!"

Here are the questions. Write down your guesses and I will post the correct answers on Wednesday! 

Yes or No Questions:

1. Does Mark read a book while on vacation?

2. Does Mark like horses?

3. Does Mark like coconut?

4. Does Mark sleep in while on vacation?

5. Does Mark flex his muscles in the mirror after every shower?

True or False Questions:

6. Mark thinks he's getting old.

7. Mark once colored his hair fire engine red.

8.Mark had his toenails professionally painted to impress a girl.

9. Mark broke up with Miriah.

This or That Questions:

10. What is Mark's favorite movie - Braveheart or Last of the Mohicans?

11. Is Mark an early bird or a night owl?

12. Which would Mark rather be - taller or more muscular?

13. Is Mark happier with his shirt on or off?

14. Does Mark prefer the smell vanilla or cinnamon?

15. Is Mark the romantic one or does he just go along with whatever Miriah wants to do?

16. Which does Mark wish he had more of - chest hair or facial hair?

17. Does Mark prefer having a cavity filled or being checked for a hernia by having someone grab him and tell him to cough?

18. Which intimidates Mark more - a crazy meth addict holding a knife 

or 

a classroom full of 29 children?

19. What time period does Mark wish he lived in - Caveman Days, Cattledrive Era, Victorian Times?

20. If given a choice, which of the following would Mark be -

A caveman with a cavewoman to boss around

An Indian brave with a squaw of his own

A mountain man with a wildcat of a woman?

Just Answer as Best as You Can Questions:

21. What is Mark's favorite kind of candy?

22. How many piercings did Mark used to have?

23. What was the first animal Mark ever killed?

24. Who was the 1st baby Mark ever held?

25. What is Mark's tattoo a picture of?

26. What did Mark dress up as for career day in 4th grade?

27. What is Mark's favorite holiday?

28. How many elk has Mark shot?

29. What grade was Mark in when he finally broke 100 pounds?

30. What sport did Mark play in High School to make his parents mad?

31. What is the most Mark has bench pressed?

32. What vegetable make Mark puke if he accidentally eats it?

33. Who does Mark think is the greatest actor of all time?

34. What is Mark's favorite color?

35. What is Mark's favorite football team?

GOOD LUCK!